The present invention relates to a game device and an information storage medium suitable for use in the game device.
In a fighting game which is one of many competition games, a player enjoys the game while controlling a game character on a screen so that it will fight against an enemy game character controlled by a computer or another player. Such a fighting game is very popular since players can feel as if they actually fight against each other.
In such a fighting game, a player first selects a desired game character and controls it to fight with an enemy game character. If the player""s game character defeats the enemy game character, the player can advance to the next game stage in which the player""s game character will fight against a new enemy game character. In such a manner, the player sequentially fights against a number of enemy game characters through a series of game stages. If the player has fought successfully through all the game stages, the ending display is performed to finish the game. Thus, the player can be more enthusiastic for the game by sequentially causing the player to clear the series of game stages so that the player will take all the fun out of the stories in the game stages.
In the prior art fighting game, however, once the player has used a selected game character and cleared all the game stages, the player would lose interest and not use the same game character again. This raises a problem in that the player will not play the same game repeatedly.
To overcome such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a game device which can give variety to the fighting game so that the player will be led to play the game repeatedly, and an information storage medium suitable for use in such a game device.
To this end, the present invention provides a game device comprising:
means for selecting one of a plurality of modes including a first mode in which a player controls a game character through a given control means to make the game character fight against an enemy game character, and a second mode in which a game for obtaining an item to be used by the game character is played;
means for enabling the game character in the first mode to use the item obtained in the second mode, and for changing at least one of an action of the game character caused by an input by the player and information relating to a fight when the item used by the game character is changed; and
means for synthesizing a game image including an image of the game character.
The player can select any one of the first mode in which the player controls a game character to fight against an enemy game character and the second mode in which a game for obtaining an item such as a weapon to be used by the game character is played. If an item is obtained in the second mode, the game character can use that item in the first mode. Depending on the item, the action of the game character as well as the information of the fighting are changed. If the same game character is used, variety can be given to the fighting game by changing the type of item. Thus, the player can be led to play the game repeatedly.
An item used by a game character may be changed by changing an object representing the item, when the game character is also represented by a plurality of objects.
By changing the item-representing object, the image of the game character can be varied and variety can be given to the game images.
Therefore, it is desirable that the present invention is applied to a three-dimensional game device in which a field-of-view image as seen from a given viewpoint within the object space can be synthesized. Unlike two-dimensional game devices, the three-dimensional game device can change the item in the game character in a simple way such as changing the item-representing object.
A map showing a plurality of points and information relating to an item obtainable at each of the points may be displayed for the player in the second mode.
Thus, a story can be provided on obtaining the item. This can lead the player to be enthusiastic about obtaining the item.
In the second mode, a fight which is performed between the game character controlled by the player and the enemy game character to obtain an item may be a different type of fight from the fight in the first mode.
In the second mode, for example, the fighting may be performed while changing the degree of difficulty in a step manner depending on the progress of the game play or the fighting may be carried out in such a manner that the player can learn the game technique. Thus, the second mode can be used as a game operation guidance mode for beginners.
At least one of a basic position of a game character and a series of subsequent actions of the game character may be changed when the item used by the game character is changed.
Thus, the player can enjoy the game play by controlling the game character which performs various actions determined by different items. This provides variety to the fighting game.
At least one of the number and a type relating to a special technique of a game character caused by a given input to the control means may be changed when the item used by the game character is changed.
The game character may use special techniques by getting special items, for example. This can give variety to the fighting game and at the same time cause the player to be more enthusiastic about obtaining the item in the second mode. Thus, the player may be led to play the game repeatedly.
The item may be a weapon item; and with respect to the weapon item, information relating to at least one of a hit area, offensive power, defensive power, durability, and effect of attack against an enemy game character may be changed when the weapon item used by the game character is changed.
The game character can obtain any one of weapon items of various performances. This can provide a game which the player will not easily get tired of.